Interchangeable telegraphic key



No. 770,628. PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904. W. G. DEAN.

INTERGHANGEABLE TELBGRAPHIG KEY.

- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30,1903.

N0 MODEL, 2 BHEETSSHEET 1.

//v VENTO PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904- W. C. DEAN. INTERCHANGEABLB TELEGRAPHIC KEY.

NO MODEL.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV.30,1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented September 20, 1904:.

PATENT @FFICE.

WALTER CLARK DEAN, OF QUITMAN, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES H. MATHIS AND DUNHAM B. PRICE, OF QUITMAN, GEORGIA.

INTERCHANG EABLE TELEGRAPHIC KEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,628, dated September 20, 1904.

Application filed November 30, 1903. Serial No. 183,309. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER CLARK DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quitman, in the county of Brooks and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Interchangeable Telegraphic Keys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement upon that form of interchangeable telegraphic key or combined key and switch in which a single key is so constructed and arranged as to be used in common with any number of telegraphic circuits and instruments, doing away with the necessity for a separate key for each instrument, economizing board-space, and avoiding the necessity of the operator changing his position from one instrument to another and also of carrying a type-writer from instrument to instrument when messages are to be transcribed thereon.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the key, its mounting, switches, and contacts, as Will be hereinafter fully described with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan View; Fig. 2, an inverted plan View; Fig. 3, avertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4: is a section on the curved line 4: 4 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, A represents a suitablebase provided with screw-holes at the corners to enable it to be attached to the board or table, and B is an ordinary telegraphic key. On top of the base A is anon-conducting circular disk D. Upon this disk are mounted metallic contact-plates a b 0 on one side and a Z) c on the other. The pair of contacts a a belong to one circuit, Z) I) to another circuit, and c c to still another circuit. As shown, there are three pairs of these contacts, which represent three different circuits of three different telegraphic instruments. There may,

however, be any number of circuits and any number of pairs of contacts as may be desired.

The telegraphic key B is mounted upon a swiveling turn-table C, which by a central bolt C is secured to the base A. On one side of the turn-table (see Fig. 3) a flat spring B is secured between the body O of the turntable and an upper non-conducting disk O and this spring isby means of a screw 8 in electrical contact with the metal body B of the key. The spring B plays over and comes into rubbing contact with anyone of the three contact-plates a b 0 as the turn-table is rotated. On the opposite side of the turn-table there is another flat spring B which rubs upon any one of the contact-plates a b c. This spring is by means of screw 6 in electrical contact with the anvil pin or point e, which latter is insulated from the other metal parts of the key by a non-conducting bushing 2' and the non-conducting disk 0 The key-lever B is normally held up by a spring, as usual, so that ordinarily-the two platinum points a and c are out of contact and the circuit is broken between the plates 6 and I); but when the key B is depressed and points 0 and e are in contact then the current flows from contact-plate b to plate 6 through the following path: from plate 6 to spring B metal frame B of the key to point e, thence to e, to screw 6 to spring 6 and plate 6. Plates Z) and b are connected, respectively, to circuitwires 1) and b, which lead to a sounder and telegraphic instrument on a definite circuit. In order to compel the current to traverse this path through the key or to pass on direct without going through the key, there is under the base of the instrument (see Fig. 2 a short circuit consisting of a wire and switch 6*. The wire 6 is attached to the screw 6 and plate 6, and the switch 6* is adapted to be swung under or away from a clip on screw 6 connecting with plate 6. When the switch 7) is out of contact with the clip on screw 6 as shown in Fig. 2, the circuit over wires 5 may be made through the key-points e 9; but when the switch b is in contact with the clip of screw 6 the circuit over the wires b is short-circuited under the base of the instrument through wire 6 and is not opened by the key at all, but is continuously closed independent of the operation, of the key. The action of the key in relation to thecontact-plates b and b is similar in relation to each of the other pairs of contacts a and a, c and c, and

as many other pairs of contact-plates as it may be desired to use. To bring any other pair of contact-plates into operative relation to the ey, it is only necessary to swing the turntable and key around, so that its springs B B shall rest upon another pair of contact-plates and to open the switch a or 0 under the base, the other switches being closed to maintain the continuity of all other circuits.

As shown, there are three circuits provided for, the terminals of which are shown at a a 5 b and 0 0 and each has similar contactplates, switches, and short circuits and with all of which the single key B and its attached parts are interchangeably used. It will be seen also that anynumber of circuits may be provided for by simply increasing the pairs of contact-plates on the disk D and their attachments under the base.

By means of my invention individual keys for each telegraphic instrument are dispensed with, space on the table or board is economized, the operator is not-required to move from his position in operating in different circuits, and when the messages are to be transcribed on a type-writer this heavy machine does not have to be carried about from place to place. I 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An interchangeable telegraphic key, comprising a base having on its upper face two series of circularly-arranged and insulated contact-faces said two series being disposed on opposite sides of the center, a turn-table pivotally mounted between them to rotate in a horizontal plane and carrying a telegraphic key, a spring contact-plate mounted on one Wows side of the turn-table and in permanent elec- 4 trical connection with the keyand adapted to bear upon any one of the circular series of contacts on one side, another spring contactplate mounted on the opposite side of the turn-table and in electrical connection with the insulated anvil-pin of the key and adapted to bear upon any one of the circular series of contacts on that side, short circuits for connecting the two series of contact in pairs and means for opening the short circuit of any one of the pairs substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. An interchangeable telegraphic key, comprising a base having on its upper face two series of circularly-arranged and insulated contact-faces, said two series being disposed on opposite sides of the center, a turn-table pivotally mounted between them to rotate in a horizontal plane and carrying a telegraphic key, a spring contact-plate mounted on one side of the turn-table and in permanent electrical connection with the key and adapted to bear upon any one of the circular series of contacts on one side, another spring contactplate mounted on the opposite side of the turn-table and in electrical connection with the insulated anvil-pin of the key and adapted to bear upon any one of the circular series of contacts on that side, short circuit-wires each having an individual switch arranged beneath the base and connecting in pairs the two series of contacts substantially as and for the purpose described.

WALTER CLARK DEAN. 

